A CORBY MAN WHO KILLED HIS WIFE IN A JOINT SUICIDE
A CORBY MAN WHO KILLED HIS WIFE IN A JOINT SUICIDE PACT HAD
HIS FOUR-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE HALVED BY THE APPEAL COURT IN LONDON
TODAY (FRIDAY).
MARTIN SWEENEY, 26, OF TORKSEY CLOSE, HAD PLEADED GUILTY AT
NORTHAMPTON CROWN COURT IN MARCH TO THE MANSLAUGHTER OF HIS WIFE
BERNADETTE LAST SEPTEMBER.
REDUCING THE SENTENCE LORD JUSTICE WATKINS SAID: ‘IT IS
UNNECESSARY FOR HIM TO SPEND SO LONG IN PRISON’.
HE ADDED:’THESE TWO UNHAPPY AND ILL-ADJUSTED PEOPLE BECAME
DISENCHANTED WITH LIFE AND DETERMINED THEY WOULD DIE TOGETHER BY
THEIR OWN HANDS.
‘
THE COURT HEARD HOW THE COUPLE CONCEIVED THE PLAN OF SETTING
FIRE TO THEIR CAR WHILE THEY WERE IN IT.
AND AFTER SWALLOWING
PARACETOMOL AND SLEEPING TABLETS.
MARTIN SWEENEY POURED PETROL OVER
THE BACK SEAT AND SET IT ALIGHT.
THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY ERUPTED IN A BALL OF FLAMES AND IN THEIR
FRIGHT THE COUPLE DESPERATELY TRIED TO ESCAPE FROM THE INFERNO, THE
COURT HEARD.
SWEENEY ‘SUCCEEDED BY A HAIR’S BREADTH, AND DID HIS BEST TO GET
HIS WIFE OUT BUT FAILED’ SAID THE JUDGE.
REFERING TO THE FACTS OF THE CASE LORD JUSTICE WATKINS SAID:
‘HE SUSTAINED SAVAGE BURNS.
EVERY TIME HE LOOKS AT HIMSELF HE IS
REMINDED OF THE DREADFUL WAY HE AND HIS WIFE CONCEIVED OF DYING.
‘HE CONTINUES TO BE DEPRESSED AND IS A SUICIDE RISK WHO WILL NEED
TO BE LOOKED AFTER VERY CAREFULLY FOR SOME TIME’.
LORD JUSTICE WATKINS ADDED THE SWEENEYS’ MARRIAGE WAS DOOMED TO
END IN TRAGEDY.
SHE SUFFERED FROM ADVANCED MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY AND
GREAT ANGUISH WHEN CUSTODY OF HER CHILD, FROM A FORMER MARRIAGE, WAS
AWARDED TO HER EX-HUSBAND.
SWEENEY, THE COURT WAS TOLD, WAS A DEPRESSIVE WHO HAD ATTEMPTED
TO TAKE HIS OWN LIFE.
HIS COUNSEL, MR.
ROBERT GLANCY, SAID THE COUPLE — WHO
HAD HOPED TO GET SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION — HAD CONSIDERABLE DEBTS.
THEY DECIDED TO COMMIT SUICIDE AFTER AN ARGUMENT AND SCUFFLE
BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY, SOME OF WHOM ALSO HAD MUSCULAR
DYSTROPHY.
AFTER SURVIVING THE SUICIDE PACT, SWEENEY WENT HOME AND
SLASHED HIS WRISTS
END .
?EOM
